Hi, from Portugal

[HParreiras]

Hello there,

My name is H. Parreiras from Portugal, I'm 21 yo and I'm deciding join this community to learn a little more about fish ponds. I've a little pond around 2000 UK Gallons (9.000L) with species from portuguese rivers like Cyprinus Carpio (wild colors not KOI), Procambarus Clarkii and some water plants.

Best Regard

 

[sissy]

welcome and really sounds interesting and hope you can post some pics as we like to see how ponds are done all over and what kind of fish and plants are used .Glad you joined and hope you stay and give us a lot of good info on how you do ponds .Not sure we have had anyone from Portugal .

 

[HParreiras]

Thank you for replying Sissy

to start I can post this very old pic (building time), my pond is inspired on portuguese water mills (that wheel really works), soon would be a pleasure post more and most recent pics

 

[sissy]

gosh nice pond and love the waterwheel.Really interesting shape also .Can't wait to see the rest of your pics now .We have another waterwheel on the pond forum and he built his also

 

[j.w]

HP
Nice pond and glad you joined. We are happy to help you learn and to learn from you also.

 

[Catfishnut]

H. Parreiras, I noticed the mill wheel first off in your picture. That was the item that grabbed my immediate attention, it is like a focal point. What an excellent feature, especially knowing that it is operational! Would be neat to see a video of it running and spilling water into your pond. Better yet, to be there in person and hear it! I bet that it sounds refreshing and soothing.

A very fond welcome to you to this forum!

Your name is going to be difficult to type out if we chat with you often. Do you have a preferred nickname or handle that we can refer to you by? I go by "CAT" or "NUT" and "Gordy" or Catfishnut if you want to type it out the long way. Gordy is actually my real first name.

It appears that you might be in a rather arid climate region, is this correct? The soil around your pond appears to be sandy and dry. Do you have a liner of some sort in this pond or is it naturally lined with some sort of clay?

Gordy

 

[Catfishnut]

H. Parreiras,

I wasn't paying attention right off... Now that I have looked up your fish and crustaceans, I judge that you are doing something very similar to what I am. I am stocking my pond with native fishes, frogs, reptiles, crustaceans etc... If you had listed fish species like Pylodictis olivaris or Silurus glanis my RADAR detection would have gone off right away!

I am sure that you are aware of Silurus glanis... The Wels Catfish. Boy would I like to get tangled up with one of those on the end of my fishing line! We do not have that species here in North America, so I just follow the reports from your area of the globe and Europe in general. Do you go out fishing for these giants?

Gordy

 

[Catfishnut]

 

[Catfishnut]

My PC is not cooperating with me. But the above image is of local (native) minnow species. The ones with red highlights are males in breeding season. They are quite beautiful, don't you think? Small... 3 inches length at best.

Gordy

 

[sissy]

your real name hmmmm means you are real LOL.wow amazing what colors fish come in .I saw the waterwheel second and saw the shape of the pond first but that is a really neat waterwheel with the stone .I wanted to do a stone wishing well but ended up building a wood one over my septic tank cleanout .I can't wait to see new pics

 

[j.w]

Pretty blue fishies Gordy...........must be related to mr blue froggie

 

[Catfishnut]

They are very pretty fish, aren't they. Interestingly, you wouldn't think that such a colorful fish would be swimming around in Nebraska rivers, they look more tropical. Normally, they are not quite so vivid, but during their spawning season the males become very brilliant.

I also have looked into raising Procambarus clarkii (photo of a blue variety below).

With the proper water chemistry and habitat colors, you can develop them with this cobalt blue coloration, although they are normally not colored like this. They are normally brown/grey like an ordinary mudbug or crayfish. These are a genetic morph. There are true "blue" crayfish, but they are much more rare, smaller and not quite as vibrant.

A couple of these and a small school of red shiners would look really awesome in an aquarium!


Gordy

 

[HARO]

At least until the crayfish got hungry!
John

 

[Catfishnut]

John,

The folks who sell these "blue" crayfish for aquariums or pets claim that they don't usually bother the fish, if they are fed sufficiently. But, they will fight among each other. Territorial disputes, I suppose. But, wouldn't that be interesting to watch!

Get 'em! Get 'em! Ha ha! My mudbug just whipped your mudbug! Hey, wait a minute... You can't bring a LOBSTER in here! What's up with the octopus? Hey! This ain't fair!

Gordy

 

[HARO]

Funny, I've never heard them called mugbugs before.
John